Every pregnant woman thinks about her weight. It is normal. You see the scale move up. You feel happy and scared at the same time. Your mother tells you to eat more. Your friend tells you to eat less. Then the doctor shows you a paper. That paper has a pregnancy weight gain chart. You look at it. You do not understand it fully. This article will help you. I will explain every part of that chart. No hard words. No doctor talk. Just plain talk.
Why Your Weight Changes During Pregnancy?
Your body is doing big work. A small baby is growing inside you. That baby needs space. That baby needs food. Your body makes more blood. Your body makes water around the baby. Your breasts get ready to feed the baby. All of this has weight. So when you see more numbers on the scale, do not get scared. That is not your body becoming fat. That is your baby's home getting ready.
If you do not gain enough weight, the baby may come out too small. A small baby has trouble drinking milk. A small baby gets sick fast. If you gain too much weight, you may get high blood pressure. You may get sugar problems. Both of these are bad for you and your baby. So you need to stay in the middle. That is why the doctor uses a pregnancy weight gain chart.
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What This Chart Shows You?
The chart is a simple picture. It has weeks on one side. It has kilos on the other side. You find your week number. You see how much weight you should have put on by that week. Then you check your own weight. If you are near that number, you are fine. If you are far above or far below, you need to change something.
The chart is not the same for every woman. It looks at your body before pregnancy. A thin woman needs more weight gain. A heavy woman needs less weight gain. Your doctor will tell you which group you fall in.
Weight Gain Based on Your Body Before Pregnancy
Before you became pregnant, you had a certain body size. That decides your chart.
- If you were very thin before pregnancy, you should gain 12 to 18 kilos in total.
- If you had a normal body before pregnancy, you should gain 11 to 15 kilos in total.
- If you were heavy before pregnancy, you should gain 7 to 11 kilos in total.
- If you were very heavy before pregnancy, you should gain 5 to 9 kilos in total.
These numbers are for the full nine months. Not per week. Not per month. The total from first month to last month.
Month by Month Breakdown
Now let me break the nine months into three parts. Each part is called a trimester.
First Trimester – First Three Months
In the first three months, many women feel sick in the morning. They cannot look at food. Some women lose weight. Do not worry. In this time, you only need to gain one to two kilos. That is very small. The baby is still very small. Eat what you can. Drink water. If you lose weight, it is okay as long as it is not too much. But if you lose more than three kilos, call your doctor.
Second Trimester – Month Four to Six
This is the good time. Your sickness goes away. You feel hungry again. The baby starts growing fast. In this time, you should gain about half a kilo every week. That means five to six kilos in these three months. Eat home food. Drink milk. Eat fruits. Walk a little every day. Most women feel very good in this time.
Third Trimester – Month Seven to Nine
In the last three months, the baby puts on most of its weight. You will also gain some water weight. Your feet may look bigger. That is normal. In this time, you gain half a kilo every week again. That is five to six kilos in these three months. Near the very end, your weight may stop going up. That is also normal. The baby is ready to come out.
The Pregnancy Weight Gain Chart in Numbers
Here is a simple chart. This is for a woman who had a normal body before pregnancy. If your body was different, your numbers will be a little different. Ask your doctor.
- At week 12 – you should have gained 1 to 2 kilos
- At week 16 – you should have gained 2 to 3 kilos
- At week 20 – you should have gained 3 to 4 kilos
- At week 24 – you should have gained 5 to 6 kilos
- At week 28 – you should have gained 7 to 8 kilos
- At week 32 – you should have gained 9 to 10 kilos
- At week 36 – you should have gained 11 to 12 kilos
- At week 40 – you should have gained 12 to 14 kilos
Keep this list near you. Check your weight every week. See where you stand.
What Goes Wrong If You Gain Too Much?
When you gain too much weight, your body feels heavy. Your back hurts more. Your knees hurt. You may get a sugar problem. This sugar problem goes away after delivery but it causes trouble during pregnancy. Your baby may become too big. A big baby cannot come out easily. Then the doctor has to do a surgery. So if you see you are gaining too fast, stop eating outside food. Stop eating sweets. Stop eating fried things. Eat more vegetables. Eat more dal.
What Goes Wrong If You Gain Too Little?
Some women think that gaining weight will make them look bad. So they eat less. This is a big mistake. When you eat less, the baby does not get enough food. The baby stays small inside. A small baby has weak lungs. A small baby cannot drink milk properly. A small baby may have to stay in the hospital for many days. So do not diet during pregnancy. Do not skip meals. If you are not gaining weight, add one more roti every day. Add one more glass of milk. Add one more bowl of rice.
Everyday Indian Foods That Help You Gain Right
- You do not need to buy expensive things. Your kitchen has everything.
- Put one spoon of ghee on your roti. Ghee gives good fat. It helps the baby brain grow.
- Eat two almonds and two walnuts every day. Soak them in water at night. Eat them in the morning.
- Eat one bowl of curd in the afternoon. Curd is good for your bones and your stomach.
- Eat khichdi made with moong dal and rice. Put a little ghee on top. This is light but filling.
- Drink a glass of milk before sleeping. Add a little turmeric if you like.
- Eat fruits like apple, banana, and pomegranate. Do not eat raw papaya in the first three months.
- Drink buttermilk after lunch. It keeps your stomach cool.
These foods will help you stay inside the chart without any trouble.
When You Must Call Your Doctor?
- You do not need to call for small changes. But call if these things happen.
- You gain more than two kilos in one week. This could be a sign of water problem and high blood pressure.
- Your weight does not change for three weeks in the second or third trimester.
- You lose weight suddenly without any reason.
- You feel very thirsty all the time and you pass urine too many times. This could be a sugar problem.
- Your face and feet become very swollen.
- In all these cases, do not wait. Call your doctor the same day.
False Beliefs About Pregnancy Weight Gain
Many people say wrong things. Let me clear them.
False belief one – You have to eat for two people.
This is wrong. You only need three hundred extra calories. That is one extra bowl of rice. Not two full meals.
False belief two – Eating less will make delivery easy.
This is wrong. Eating less makes the baby weak. Delivery becomes harder.
False belief three – The weight gain chart is the same for all women.
This is wrong. The chart changes based on your height, your age, and your body before pregnancy.
False belief four – Ghee and rice make the baby too big.
This is wrong. Only eating too much makes the baby big. Normal amounts are safe.
False belief five – You will never lose pregnancy weight after delivery.
This is wrong. Most women lose half the weight in the first six weeks after delivery. The rest goes away with breastfeeding and walking.
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A Simple One Day Meal Plan
Here is what you can eat in one day. This will keep you inside the chart.
- Morning when you wake up – one glass warm water with lemon
- Breakfast at eight – two moong dal chillas or one bowl poha
- Mid morning at eleven – one apple or one banana
- Lunch at one – two rotis, one bowl vegetable, one bowl dal, one bowl curd, salad
- Evening at four – one glass buttermilk or one bowl fruit
- Dinner at seven – one bowl khichdi with one spoon ghee
- Night at nine – one glass warm milk
Drink water between meals. Do not drink water just before or just after eating. Keep two hours gap between dinner and sleep.
How to Check Your Weight at Home?
You only need a simple weighing scale. Put the scale on hard floor. Do not put it on carpet. Wear the same clothes every time you check. Check your weight every week on the same day. Check in the morning after you use the toilet. Write the number in a notebook. Show this notebook to your doctor every month. Do not check every day. Daily numbers change because of water and food. Weekly numbers show real change.
Conclusion
You are doing a hard job. Your body is making a new person. The pregnancy weight gain chart is not a test. You do not have to pass it. It is just a tool to keep you and your baby safe. Do not compare yourself with other women. Your friend may gain fifteen kilos. You may gain eleven kilos. Both can be perfectly fine. Listen to your body. Eat when you feel hungry. Rest when you feel tired. Walk when you feel strong. And always ask your doctor if something feels wrong.
You are not just gaining weight. You are giving your baby the best start in this world. That is a beautiful thing.
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